Grana Padano DOP “Riserva” 20-24 mesi
Grana Padano PDO ‘Riserva’ 20-24 months and Campanino apple mostarda
This is the mostarda par excellence of the Mantuan tradition and festivities.
The Campanino apple is a very small apple, which mainly grows in the wild, but which is now cultivated in vegetable gardens or orchards due to the fact that it can be stored at length and to its special sweet-sour taste. When preparing mostarda, it is completely peeled, cut into thin, ‘leaf-like’ slices and caramelised; the mostarda therefore turns a caramel colour which varies in intensity depending on the size of the slice. When tasting Campanino apple mostarda, one must lift it to the nose with great caution so as not to be bowled over by the strong mustard it contains. It is sweet like a jam, with a pleasant hint of caramel. The slightly crunchy, non-sticky texture is easily traceable to the fresh fruit from which it is made.
Campanino apple mostarda is traditionally served at the end of a meal paired with Grana Padano PDO cheeses aged for long periods. This is a combination with strong regional connotations and roots as Mantua is one of the provinces traditionally dedicated to the production of Grana Padano PDO.
The suggested pairing is well suited to the 20-24 month Grana Padano ‘Riserva’. In fact, both products meet in the mouth while maintaining their respective structures intact, alternating graininess and crunchiness and finally leaving the mouth clean after the tasting process, thanks to the sweet contribution of the mostarda and the acidity and sapidity of the Grana Padano.
Curious facts:
Gastronomic use: Campanino apple mostarda is mainly used throughout the year as an ingredient in Tortelli di zucca alla mantovana (Mantuan-style pumpkin tortelli) or, as an evergreen traditional Christmas holiday treat, as a side dish for rich boiled meats, cooked cured meats and marinated fish.
Grana Padano PDO ‘Riserva’ 20-24 months and Mantuan fig mostarda
Mantuan fig mostarda, normally made in early September, can have a creamy, almost spreadable texture, or come as soft whole fruits with a juicy, hot centre.
An aroma of caramelised fruit is immediately perceivable by the nose; notes of roasted and crunchy almonds, spices and black pepper prevail.
Cheese and fresh figs are traditionally considered a well-known pairing; however, fig mostarda paired with 20-24 month Grana Padano ‘Riserva’ offers some extra, new surprises: it is in fact a ‘mouth-watering’ and intriguing combination due to the wealth of sensations it is able to offer. The rich taste and aromatic notes of this mostarda are well suited to the increasing complexity that characterises this type of well-ripened Grana Padano; the mostarda admirably keeps up with the notes of meat broth and dried fruit presented by the cheese, whose sapidity alternates with the sweetness of the fig. Both products also have an interesting, shared spiciness: mild and delicate for Grana Padano, stronger and more explosive for mostarda.
Again, the success of the pairing revolves around a delicate interplay of proportions that allows the products to come together in a positive and surprising synthesis.